[Risk factors for recurrence of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia after treatment with the Chinese Children's Cancer Group ALL-2015 protocol]. / CCCG-ALL-2015æ–¹æ¡ˆæ²»ç–—å„¿ç«¥æ€¥æ€§æ·‹å·´ç»†èƒžç™½è¡€ç— å¤å‘çš„å±é™©å› ç´ åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the cumulative incidence of recurrence (CIR) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) after treatment with the Chinese Children's Cancer Group ALL-2015 (CCCG-ALL-2015) protocol and the risk factors for recurrence. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 852 children who were treated with the CCCG-ALL-2015 protocol from January 2015 to December 2019. CIR was calculated, and the risk factors for the recurrence of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 852 children with ALL, 146 (17.1%) experienced recurrence, with an 8-year CIR of 19.8%±1.6%. There was no significant difference in 8-year CIR between the B-ALL group and the acute T lymphocyte leukemia group (P>0.05). For the 146 children with recurrence, recurrence was mainly observed in the very early stage (n=62, 42.5%) and the early stage (n=46, 31.5%), and there were 42 children with bone marrow recurrence alone (28.8%) in the very early stage and 27 children with bone marrow recurrence alone (18.5%) in the early stage. The Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis showed that positive MLLr fusion gene (HR=4.177, 95%CI: 2.086-8.364, P<0.001) and minimal residual disease≥0.01% on day 46 (HR=2.013, 95%CI: 1.163-3.483, P=0.012) were independent risk factors for recurrence in children with B-ALL after treatment with the CCCG-ALL-2015 protocol. CONCLUSIONS: There is still a relatively high recurrence rate in children with ALL after treatment with the CCCG-ALL-2015 protocol, mainly bone marrow recurrence alone in the very early stage and the early stage, and minimal residual disease≥0.01% on day 46 and positive MLLr fusion gene are closely associated with the recurrence of B-ALL.

Poor treatment responses were related to poor outcomes in pediatric B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with KMT2A rearrangements.

BACKGROUND: The KMT2A gene, formerly named the MLL gene, is rearranged (KMT2Ar) in 70-75% of infants, 5-6% of children and 10-15% of adult patients with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The outcome after chemotherapy of pediatric cases remains poor, and only a few studies have investigated the clinical and laboratory features, treatment response and prognosis in Chinese populations. METHODS: A total of 48 B-ALL children with KMT2Ar were enrolled in the study, and clinical and laboratory data were collected and analyzed by age group. The relationship between prognosis and traditional risk factors and treatment response was investigated for these patients who received chemotherapy. RESULTS: The 48 enrolled patients included 28 males and 20 females; 18 (37.50%) or 30 (62.50%) patients were an age of < 12 m (infant B-ALL) or of > 12 m at onset. An initial WBC count of 300 × 109/L was detected in 7 (14.58%) patients; testicular leukemia (TL) or central nervous system involvement was found in 5 (10.41%) or 3 (6.25%) patients, respectively. Statistical differences were not found in the age groups of sex or initial WBC count, whereas TL was more common in the infant group (P < 0.05). 11q23 was detected in 18 patients; KMT2Ar was detected in 46 (95.83%) or 45 (93.75%) patients by FISH or multiplex RT-PCR technology, respectively; RNA-seq data were obtained for 18 patients, and 3 patients with uncommon KMT2Ar were identified. KMT2A-AFF1, KMT2A-MLLT3 and KMT2A-MLLT1 were the most common transcripts. Statistical differences were not found in treatment response by age groups, including dexamethasone induction, bone marrow (BM) smear status and minimal residual disease (MRD) level at different time points (TP), treatment-related mortality (TRM), or complete remission (CR) rate (P > 0.05); MRD levels monitored by FCM or PCR were unequal at the same TP. Four patients died of treatment, and TRM was 8.33%; 40 patients achieved CR, and the CR rate for the cohort was 83.33%. Seven patients quit, 15 patients relapsed, and the 5 yr cumulative relapse rate was 59.16 ± 9.16%; the 5 yr prospective EFS (pEFS) for patients who were included or excluded from the TRM group was 36.86 ± 8.48% or 40.84 ± 9.16%, respectively. Multivariate analysis for prognosis and hazard ratio was performed for 37 patients without TRM and revealed that an initial WBC count of > 300 × 109/L and a positive level of FCM-MRD were strongly related to a poor outcome for B-ALL patients with KMT2Ar (P < 0.05).

Differential Symptom Development and Viral RNA Loads in 10 Nicotiana benthamiana Accessions Infected with the Tobamovirus Yellow Tailflower Mild Mottle Virus.

Yellow tailflower mild mottle virus (YTMMV, genus Tobamovirus) was identified from wild plants of solanaceous species in Australia. Nicotiana benthamiana is a species indigenous to the arid north of Australia. N. benthamiana accession RA-4 (the lab type), which has a mutant, functionally defective, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 1 (Rdr1) gene (Nb-Rdr1m), has played a significant role in plant virology, but little study has been done regarding responses to virus infection by other accessions of N. benthamiana. All wild-collected N. benthamiana accessions used in this study harbored wild-type Rdr1 genes (Nb-Rdr1). We compared symptoms of YTMMV infection and viral RNA load on RA-4 and nine wild-collected accessions of N. benthamiana from mainland Western Australia, an island, and the Northern Territory. After inoculation with YTMMV, RA-4 plants responded with systemic hypersensitivity and all individuals were dead 35 days postinoculation (dpi). Plants of wild-collected accessions exhibited a range of symptoms, from mild to severe, and some, but not all, died in the same period. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR revealed that the Rdr1 mutation was not a predictor of viral RNA load or symptom severity. For example, wild-collected A019412 plants carried more than twice the viral RNA load of RA-4 plants, but symptom expression was moderate. For plants of most accessions, viral RNA load did not increase after 10 dpi. The exception was plants of accession Barrow-1, in which viral RNA load was low until 15 dpi, after which it increased more than 29-fold. This study revealed differential responses by N. benthamiana accessions to infection by an isolate of YTMMV. The Rdr1 gene, whether mutant or wild-type, did not appear to influence viral RNA load or disease expression. Genetic diversity of the 10 N. benthamiana accessions in some cases reflected geographical location, but in other accessions this was not so.

Application of high-throughput sequencing for hereditary thrombocytopenia in southwestern China.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to design and analyze the applicability of a 21-gene high-throughput sequencing (HTS) panel in the molecular diagnosis of patients with hereditary thrombocytopenia (HT). METHODS: A custom target enrichment library was designed to capture 21 genes known to be associated with HTs. Twenty-four patients with an HT phenotype were studied using this technology. RESULTS: One pathogenic variant on the MYH9 gene and one likely pathogenic variant on the ABCG8 gene previously known to cause HTs were identified. Additionally, 3 previously reported variants affecting WAS, ADAMTS13, and GP1BA were detected, and 9 novel variants affecting FLNA, ITGB3, NBEAL2, MYH9, VWF, and ANKRD26 genes were identified. The 12 variants were classified to be of uncertain significance. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that HTS is an accurate and reliable method of pre-screening patients for variants in known HT-causing genes. With the advantage of distinguishing HT from immune thrombocytopenia, HTS could play a key role in improving the clinical management of patients.

Prognostic significance of measurable residual disease based on multiparameter flow cytometry in childhood acute myeloid leukemia. / åŸºäºŽæµå¼ç»†èƒžæœ¯çš„å¯æµ‹é‡æ®‹ç•™ç— å¯¹å„¿ç«¥æ€¥æ€§é«“ç³»ç™½è¡€ç— é¢„åŽæ„ä¹‰çš„å‰çž»æ€§ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the prognostic value of measurable residual disease (MRD) for childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by analyzing MRD-guided risk stratification therapy. METHODS: A total of 93 children with AML were prospectively enrolled in this study. Chemotherapy with the 2015-AML-03 regimen was completed according to the risk stratification determined by genetic abnormality at initial diagnosis and MRD and bone marrow cytology after induction therapy I. Multiparameter flow cytometry was used to dynamically monitor MRD and analyze the prognostic effect of MRD on 3-year cumulative incidence of recurrence (CIR) rate, event-free survival (EFS) rate, and overall survival (OS) rate. RESULTS: The 93 children with AML had a 3-year CIR rate of 48%±6%, a median time to recurrence of 11 months (range 2-32 months), a 3-year OS rate of 65%±6%, and a 3-year EFS rate of 50%±5%. After induction therapy I and intensive therapy I, the MRD-positive children had a significantly higher 3-year CIR rate and significantly lower 3-year EFS and OS rates than the MRD-negative children (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in 3-year CIR, EFS, and OS rates between the MRD-positive children with a low risk at initial diagnosis and the MRD-negative children after adjustment of chemotherapy intensity (P>0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that positive MRD after intensive treatment I was a risk factor for 3-year OS rate in children with AML (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MRD has predictive value for the prognosis of children with AML. Based on the MRD-guided risk stratification therapy, reasonable application of chemotherapy may improve the overall prognosis of children with AML.

Clinical features and prognosis of children with acute leukemias of ambiguous lineage under different diagnostic criteria. / ä¸åŒè¯Šæ–­æ ‡å‡†ä¸‹å„¿ç«¥æ€¥æ€§ä¸æ˜Žè°±ç³»ç™½è¡€ç— çš„ä¸´åºŠç‰¹ç‚¹å’Œé¢„åŽåˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical features and prognosis of children with acute leukemias of ambiguous lineage (ALAL) under different diagnostic criteria. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 39 children with ALAL who were diagnosed and treated from December 2015 to December 2019. Among the 39 children, 34 received treatment. According to the diagnostic criteria for ALAL by World Health Organization and European Group for the Immunological Characterization of Leukemias, the 39 children were divided into two groups: ALAL group (n=28) and myeloid expression group (n=11). The clinical features, treatment, and prognosis were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The 34 children receiving treatment had a 3-year event-free survival (EFS) rate of 75%±9% and an overall survival rate of 88%±6%. The children treated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) protocol had a 3-year EFS rate of 33%±27%, those treated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) protocol had a 3-year EFS rate of 78%±10%, and those who had no remission after induction with AML protocol and then received ALL protocol had a 3-year EFS rate of 100%±0% (P<0.05). The children with negative minimal residual disease (MRD) after induction therapy had a significantly higher 3-year EFS rate than those with positive MRD (96%±4% vs 38%±28%, P<0.05). Positive ETV6-RUNX1 was observed in the myeloid expression group, and positive BCR-ABL1, positive MLL-r, and hyperleukocytosis (white blood cell count ≥50×109/L) were observed in the ALAL group. There was no significant difference in the 3-year EFS rate between the myeloid expression and ALAL groups (100%±0% vs 66%±11%, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ALL protocol has a better clinical effect than AML protocol in children with ALAL, and positive MRD after induction therapy suggests poor prognosis. Hyperleukocytosis and adverse genetic changes are not observed in children with myeloid expression, and such children tend to have a good prognosis, suggesting that we should be cautious to take it as ALAL in diagnosis and treatment.

Complete genome sequence of a novel mycovirus isolated from the phytopathogenic fungus Corynespora cassiicola in China.

A novel mycovirus, named "Corynespora cassiicola bipartite mycovirus 1" (CcBV1), was isolated from a phytopathogenic fungus, Corynespora cassiicola, the causal agent of rubber leaf fall disease. The nucleotide sequence of the complete genome of CcBV1, which consists of two double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments, was determined. The first dsRNA is 2,002 bp in length and contains a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) (69 kDa), while the second is 1,738 bp in length and contains a single ORF encoding a hypothetical protein of unknown function, with an approximately molecular weight of 36 kDa. The amino acid sequences of the both deduced proteins are most similar (58.9% and 45.1% identity, respectively) to those of Cryphonectria parasitica bipartite mycovirus 1 (CpBV1). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that CcBV1 clusters together with CpBV1 and other unassigned dsRNA mycoviruses. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report of a mycovirus infecting C. cassiicola.

Morphological variation in Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., and its relationship with the environment along a longitudinal gradient.

BACKGROUND: Geographical variation in morphological traits may reflect evolutionary patterns of morphological adaptability along environmental gradients. Comprehensive information on longitudinal patterns of morphological trait variation is very meaningful to explore morphological diversity and evolutionary trends in widespread bermudagrass. METHODS: To explore the spatial patterns of morphological traits, we investigated 10 morphological traits of bermudagrass and 10 soil nutrient indexes and collected local climate data for 13 different regions from 119°E to 105°E along the latitude 34°N. RESULTS: Considerable variations in morphological traits were observed at different longitudes, and the variations in most of the evaluated traits within populations were lower than those among populations. All of the 13 different longitudinal sites were divided into three groups based on morphological traits by cluster analysis. The major sources of diversity at the different longitudes were leaf length of the erect shoot, leaf width of the erect shoot, and the internode lengths of the erect shoot and stolon as determined by principal component analysis. Pearson correlation analysis also indicated that longitude was significantly and negatively correlated with these traits as well. Mean average rainfall was significantly correlated with leaf length of the erect shoot and the internode lengths of the erect shoot and stolon, while mean average temperature was only significantly correlated with internode length of the erect shoots. Available sulfur was significantly correlated with internode length of the erect shoot, plant height, and reproductive branch height, while the exchangeable Ca was significantly correlated with internode lengths of the erect shoot and stolon. Soil pH was significantly correlated with the internode length of the stolon. Longitude is an important factor that affects morphological trait variation in wild bermudagrass, and the leaves of the erect shoot and the internode length enlarged significantly with the collection sites moving from east to west. CONCLUSION: Different combinations and interactions of environmental factors (soil and climate) along a longitudinal gradient may have strong effects on one or more morphological traits of bermudagrass.

Smart, Elastic, and Nanofiber-Based 3D Scaffolds with Self-Deploying Capability for Osteoporotic Bone Regeneration.

It has been a major challenge to treat osteoporotic bone defects with irregular shapes. Although bioactive glass offers an attractive material for bone regeneration, its inherent brittleness has greatly limited its scope of application. Herein, we report the fabrication of bioactive glass (SiO2-CaO) nanofibers with excellent flexibility to even allow for 180° bending. The bioactive glass nanofibers could be further assembled into 3D fibrous scaffolds with chitosan serving as the linkers. The scaffolds constructed from an assembly of 85SiO2-15CaO nanofibers and chitosan (85SiO2-15CaO NF/CS) possessed significantly better mechanical properties when benchmarked against both 75SiO2-25CaO nanofiber- and chitosan-based scaffolds. Moreover, the 85SiO2-15CaO NF/CS scaffolds exhibited an elastic behavior, with full recovery from 80% compression and good fatigue resistance over 1000 cycles of compression under water. Upon implantation, the elastic fibrous scaffolds were able to deform and fit irregularly shaped bone defects, followed by a self-deploying behavior to achieve a perfect match with the cavities. When applied to the repair of an osteoporotic calvarial defect in a rat model, the 85SiO2-15CaO NF/CS scaffolds showed substantial promotion of bone regrowth and vascularization. This new class of 3D fibrous scaffold provides a promising advancement in engineering smart materials for complex bone repair.

Evaluation of processing methods and oral mastication on the carotenoid bioaccessibility of restructured carrot chips.

BACKGROUND: Carrot carotenoids are typically located in chromoplasts, forming a crystalline substructure. Cell walls and chromoplasts therefore constitute two major physical barriers to the release of carotenoids from the food matrix during digestion. The release of carotenoids from these physical barriers is supposed to be substantially affected by mechanical factors during food processing and oral mastication. Given the implications of this, the effects of four different processing procedures, and various mastication levels, on the carotenoid bioaccessibility of carrot chips were evaluated. RESULTS: Restructuring and drying methods substantially affected the carotenoid bioaccessibility of carrot chips. The highest carotenoid bioaccessibility was obtained for the air-dried combined with instant pressure-drop-dried (AD-DIC) restructured chips. Although the fresh carrots possessed the highest carotenoid content, their bioaccessibility was lower than that of the carrot chips. The evolution of the particle sizes of the samples was responsible for the changes in carotenoid bioaccessibility due to oral masitication. The particle size of the fresh carrots decreased with increasing oral masitication, which favored carotenoid bioaccessibilty. However, the restructured chips that combined freeze drying with instant pressure-drop drying (R-FD-DIC) demonstrated the opposite trend, probably caused by the severe aggregation of the sample during digestion, which compromised the effect of mastication on the release of carotenoid. CONCLUSION: Data regarding the effects of the drying process and oral mastication digestion behavior on the samples suggested that AD-DIC-dried restructured carrot chips are effective in enhancing carotenoid bioaccessibility, which explains the key factors involved in the release of carotenoids from carrot chips prepared by different processes. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Serious adverse events associated with chemotherapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the occurrence of serious adverse events (SAEs) related to chemotherapy with CCCG-ALL-2015 regimen in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the risk factors for death after the SAEs. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 734 children with ALL. They were treated with CCCG-ALL-2015 regimen from January 2015 to June 2019. The occurrence of SAEs during the treatment was investigated. The children with SAEs were divided into a death group with 25 children and a survival group with 31 children. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for death after the SAEs. RESULTS: Among the 734 children with ALL, 56 (7.6%) experienced SAEs (66 cases) after chemotherapy, among which 41 cases occurred in the stage of remission induction therapy. Of all 66 cases of SAEs, 46 (70%) were infection-related SAEs, including 25 cases of septic shock (38%), 20 cases of severe pneumonia (30%), and 1 case of severe chickenpox (2%), and 87% of the children with infection-related SAEs had neutrophil deficiency. The most common infection sites were blood and the lungs. The most common pathogens were Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, fungi, and Gram-positive bacteria. There were 16 cases (24%) of hemorrhage-related SAEs, with 11 cases of gastrointestinal bleeding (17%), 4 cases of pulmonary bleeding (6%), and 1 case of intracranial bleeding (2%). Of all 734 children with ALL, 66 (9.0%) died, among whom 25 died due to SAEs. The treatment-related mortality rate was 3.4%, and infection (72%) and bleeding (24%) were the main causes of death. Severe pneumonia was an independent risk factor for treatment-related death in ALL children (OR=4.087, 95%CI: 1.161-14.384, P=0.028). CONCLUSIONS: SAEs often occur in the stage of remission induction therapy, and infection-related SAEs are more common in ALL children accepting chemotherapy with CCCG-ALL-2015 regimen. The development of severe pneumonia suggests an increased risk for death in these children.

Variations in morphological traits of bermudagrass and relationship with soil and climate along latitudinal gradients.

BACKGROUND: This complex environmental heterogeneity coupled with the long-standing history offers scenario suitable for and favoring the evolution and existence of variation of morphological traits. METHODS: In this study, we measured 10 morphological traits of 310 Cynodon dactylon individuals sampled at 16 different locations along latitudinal gradients between 22°35'N and 36°18'N to reveal phenotypic plasticity influenced by latitude. In addition, the relationships between morphological variation and soil nutrient and climate factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Analysis of variance, divesity examination and Mantel correlation test detected a significant effect of latitude on morphological traits. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis clearly separated the selected populations into four groups according to latitude. Larger morphological sizes of C. dactylon appeared at the low- and high-latitude regions. Correlation analysis indicated that high morphological variations were significantly correlated with climate factors and soil nutrient. CONCLUSION: This study suggests morphological variation of wild bermudagrass is greatly influenced by latitude as well as soil and climate, which could be useful resources for genetic studies and evolution.

Failure analyses of unconfined CCWBM body in uniaxial compression based on central pressure variation.

Cemented coal waste backfill material (CCWBM) is made of coal gangue, fly ash and cementitious materials. It has been widely used in the field of backfill mining to control surface subsidence and protect the environment. A large number of unconfined backfill bodies without lateral support are formed in partial backfill mining. To study the failure characteristics of unconfined CCWBM body in partial backfill, the stress-strain curves of the CCWBM were obtained by uniaxial compression tests at different ages (1-28 d). The central pressure was measured by the embedded pressure sensors. The failure characteristics of the specimen were monitored by acoustic emission (AE) positioning technique. Three observations can be made. 1. The central pressure variation curves lag behind the mean stress change curves. The central pressure curve can be divided into three stages: slow increase stage, rapid growth stage and decline stage. It has two pressure manifestations: early appearance and peak appearance. They can be as the failure precursor and instability critical, respectively. 2. The specimen forms a central elastic bearing area in the process of compression. The plastic area develops to the inner side with the increase of pressure, and an upper and lower compound cone-shaped residual area is finally formed. 3. The embedded pressure sensor can be used to monitor the instability of the unconfined backfill body. The research results can provide guidance for the in-situ stability monitoring and reinforcement of unconfined CCWBM body in partial backfill.

Clinical Significance of Antinuclear and Antiextractable Nuclear Antigen Antibody in Childhood Immune Thrombocytopenia.

This study aims to determine the clinical significance of positive antinuclear/antiextractable nuclear antigen (ANA/A-ENA) antibody on manifestation and therapeutic response of childhood immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Overall, 1,330 patients aged between 1 and 15.6 years diagnosed with primary ITP were retrospectively analyzed, excluding those with secondary ITP. Bleeding manifestations were recorded. All patients underwent autoantibody testing and follow-up for 32 months on average (range: 23-54 months). Steroid response was also assessed. Response rates were compared between ANA/A-ENA-positive and ANA/A-ENA-negative patients. Of all the patients enrolled, 84 tested positive only for ANA, 102 tested positive for A-ENA, 54 tested positive for both ANA and A-ENA, and 1,090 tested negative for both. Patients who were ANA/A-ENA positive were more likely to be female and older than 10 years. Patients who were A-ENA positive were more likely to have either persistent or chronic disease and suffer from life-threatening bleeding as well as poor short-term therapeutic response. We conclude that autoantibody testing is important to determine the short-term prognosis of ITP patients. Females, patients older than 10 years of age, and patients with either mixed positivity or A-ENA positivity should be more closely monitored.

Carbon emissions in the logistics industry: driving factors and decoupling effects.

The explosive growth of the logistics industry has led to an increase in energy consumption and carbon emissions. To reduce emissions and increase the efficiency of the logistics industry, we studied the driving factors and decoupling effects of carbon emissions of logistics industry (LICE). First, an energy coefficient method is used to calculate the LICE. Second, the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method is used to decompose the driving factors of LICE into five types. Third, the decoupling model is used to explore the decoupling relationship between economic growth and LICE. Considering Anhui Province as an example, this study describes the method's implementation process based on a comparison of the four Yangtze River Delta provinces and cities. The results indicate that the growth rate of LICE in Anhui Province has decreased during the research period, from 9.7% in 2013 to 2.1% in 2021; however, the Tapio decoupling elasticity has been approximately 0.4 for the last 2 years, remaining in a weak decoupling stage from economic development. The LMDI decomposition results indicate that the average contribution of economic level to carbon emissions is 1.763. This study proposes some solutions and recommendations for the logistics industry's low-carbon development to offer methodological and theoretical support for LICE research.

An integration of physiology, transcriptomics, and proteomics reveals carbon and nitrogen metabolism responses in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

Nanoparticle (NP) pollution has negative impacts and is a major global environmental problem. However, the molecular response of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) is limited. Herein, the dual effects of TiO2 NPs (0-1000 mg L-1) on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) metabolisms in alfalfa were investigated. The results showed that 500 mg L-1 TiO2 NPs (Ti-500) had the highest phytotoxicity in the C/N metabolizing enzymes; and it significantly increased total soluble sugar, starch, sucrose, and sucrose-phosphate synthase. Furthermore, obvious photosynthesis responses were found in alfalfa exposed to Ti-500. By contrast, 100 mg L-1 TiO2 NPs (Ti-100) enhanced N metabolizing enzymes. RNA-seq analyses showed 4265 and 2121 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Ti-100 and Ti-500, respectively. A total of 904 and 844 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in Ti-100 and Ti-500, respectively. Through the physiological, transcriptional, and proteomic analyses, the DEGs and DEPs related to C/N metabolism, photosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and C fixation in photosynthetic organisms were observed. Overall, TiO2 NPs at low doses improve photosynthesis and C/N regulation, but high doses can cause toxicity. It is valuable for the safe application of NPs in agriculture.

How enterprises' public welfare low-carbon behavior affects consumers' green purchase behavior.

The Chinese economy has undergone high-speed, high-quality growth, and the concept of low-carbon technology has gained popular support. Businesses and consumers must jointly endeavor to achieve low-carbon economic development. Moreover, it is important to investigate whether enterprises' low-carbon behavior is correlated with consumers' green consumption behavior. We built a theoretical model to depict the relationship between corporate public welfare low-carbon behavior, consumers' green purchase intention, and green purchase behavior. We then divided corporate public welfare low-carbon behavior into three dimensions. We proposed hypotheses, collected data through a questionnaire survey, and analyzed the data using statistical analysis software of SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0. Public welfare low-carbon behavior was significantly correlated with consumers' green purchase intention, and public welfare low-carbon participation and public welfare low-carbon motivation were significantly correlated with green purchase intention. Finally, we proposed suggestions from three perspectives: the public welfare low-carbon mechanism, public welfare low-carbon participation, and public welfare low-carbon motivation. The results provide theoretical support for research methods related to the low-carbon growth of enterprises and green consumption, as well as guidance and decision-making support for enterprises in carrying out cause marketing.

Enhancing Flame Retardancy and Smoke Suppression in EPDM Rubber Using Sepiolite-Based Systems.

The burning of Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber generates substantial smoke, posing a severe threat to the environment and personal safety. Considering the growing emphasis on safety and environmental protection, conventional non-smoke-suppressing flame retardants no longer satisfy the present application requirements. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop a novel flame retardant capable of suppressing smoke formation while providing flame retardancy. Sepiolite (SEP), a porous silicate clay mineral abundant in silica and magnesium, exhibits notable advantages in the realm of flame retardancy and smoke suppression. This research focuses on the synthesis of two highly efficient flame-retardant smoke suppression systems, namely AEGS and PEGS, using Enteromorpha (EN), graphene (GE), sepiolite (SEP), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), and/or piperazine pyrophosphate (PPAP). The studied flame-retardant systems were then applied to EPDM rubber and the flame-retardant and smoke suppression abilities of EPDM/AEGS and EPDM/PEGS composites were compared. The findings indicate that the porous structure of sepiolite plays a significant role in reducing smoke emissions for EPDM composites during combustion.

Nano-Fe3O4: Enhancing the tolerance of Elymus nutans to Cd stress through regulating programmed cell death.

Cadmium (Cd) poses a significant threat to plant growth and the environment. Nano-Fe3O4 is effective in alleviating Cd stress in plants. Elymus nutans Griseb. is an important fodder crop on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). However, the potential mechanism by which nano-Fe3O4 alleviates Cd stress in E. nutans is not well understood. E. nutans were subjected to single Cd, single nano-Fe3O4, and co-treatment with nano-Fe3O4 and Cd, and the effects on morphology, Cd uptake, antioxidant enzyme activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and programmed cell death (PCD) were studied to clarify the regulatory mechanism of nano-Fe3O4. The results showed that Cd stress significantly decreased the germination percentage and biomass of E. nutans. The photosynthetic pigment content decreased significantly under Cd stress. Cd stress also caused oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, accumulation of excessive ROS, resulting in PCD, but the effect of nano-Fe3O4 was different. Seed germination, seedling growth, and physiological processes were analyzed to elucidate the regulatory role of nano-Fe3O4 nanoparticles in promoting photosynthesis, reducing Cd accumulation, scavenging ROS, and regulating PCD, to promote seed germination and seedling growth in E. nutans. This report provides a scientific basis for improving the tolerance of Elymus to Cd stress by using nano-Fe3O4.

Development and validation of a predictive model for tumor lysis syndrome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) frequently manifests shortly after induction chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with the potential for swift progression. This study endeavored to develop a nomogram to predict the risk of TLS, utilizing clinical indicators present at the time of ALL diagnosis. METHODS: We retrospectively gathered data from 2243 patients with ALL, spanning December 2008 to December 2021, utilizing the clinical research big data platform of the National Center for Clinical Research on Children's Health and Diseases. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method was employed to filter variables and identify predictors, followed by the application of multivariate logistic regression to construct the nomogram. RESULTS: The LASSO regression identified six critical variables among ALL patients, upon which a nomogram was subsequently constructed. Multifactorial logistic regression revealed that an elevated white blood cell count (WBC), serum phosphorus <2.1 mmol/L, potassium <3.5 mmol/L, aspartate transaminase (AST) ≥50 U/L, uric acid (UA) ≥476µmol/L, and the presence of acute kidney injury (AKI) at the time of initial diagnosis were significant risk factors for the development of TLS in ALL patients (P<0.05). The predictive model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.824 [95 % CI (0.783, 0.865)], with an internal validation AUC of 0.859 [95 % CI (0.806, 0.912)]. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test confirmed the model's robustness (P=0.687 for the training cohort; P=0.888 for the validation cohort). Decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that the predictive model provided substantial clinical benefit across threshold probabilities ranging from 10 % to 70 %. CONCLUSIONS: A nomogram incorporating six predictive variables holds significant potential for accurately forecasting TLS in pediatric patients with ALL.